Flanner House is a social services organization, with a 2-acre farm, bodega, cafe, and orchard serving the Indianapolis community.

[4] In 1898, he donated a piece of property containing two buildings to the Charity Organization Society, a group operating a social settlement for the city's white population.

The early programs of the organization were divided into several departments and included Employment, Recreation, Vocational Aids, Music, and a Day Nursery.

The new location at the corner of West and St. Clair Streets was purchased, remodeled and equipped with four buildings allowing for the creation of additional services including health clinics for tuberculosis and child care, a make over shop for clothing and furniture, and training classes through the Red Cross.

The services of the Health Center included annual physical examinations and immunizations as well as consultation and instruction in proper nutrition.

[2] Organized by Cleo Blackburn in 1954, the Board of Fundamental Education was a nationally recognized experiment that built responsible citizens by teaching and encouraging their pride and initiative.

As a result, Blackburn received a congressional charter and obtained several large federal grants for the educational and health needs of the underprivileged.

Flanner House continued offering employment classes and added programs through Family Services and the Marion County Welfare Department.

[2] Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Flanner House continued to add programs targeted at the specific needs of the community it served, including assistance to homebound senior citizens, a residential youth center with case referrals from the juvenile courts, and the addition of a branch of the Marion County Public Library in 1979.

[2] Located within the North West Area (NWA) of Indianapolis, Cleo's Bodega & Cafe serves as a food access hub for the community.